Business Owners

There are 3 categories of Trade Waste: 

Class I:
Class I Trade Waste consists of the following business types that discharge wastewater to the City's sewer scheme: 

• Hospitals
• Medical Centres
• Radiology Clinics
• Vets
• Boarding/Lodging houses
• Commercial swimming pools

Class II:
Class II Trade Waste consists of the following business types that discharge wastewater to the City's sewer scheme:

• Take away shops
• Restaurants
• Butchers
• Bakeries
• Laboratories
• Schools (Science Lab and Kitchen)

Class III:
Class III Trade Waste consists of the following business types that discharge wastewater to the City's sewer scheme:

• Mechanical Workshops
• Fuel Stations
• Car Washes/Wash Down Bays
• Laundromats

For further information see below.
If you are unsure if your business produces Trade Waste, please contact the City on 9021 9600 for further assistance. 
 

Medical wastes consist of pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, microbes and pathogens, excreta and other fluids secreted by patients, blood and other biological and anatomical products from surgery, shower water, laundry releases, and disposable solids. All of these discharges pose a potential risk detrimental to the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s operations.

Swimming pool water contains a range of treatment products such as chlorine, salt, acid, and filtration media (sand, diatomaceous earth). In addition, the water contains dirt particles (sediments), wind-blown materials such as leaves and lawn cuttings, as well as body oils, sunscreen residues and potentially harmful bacteria. In areas connected to the sewerage system, backwash water from all swimming pools can be directed to a sewerage drainage point. New swimming pools should be permanently connected to the sewer at the time of installation or construction.

Pre-treatment devices for Class I Trade Waste

• Dry basket arrestor
• Bottle Trap Separator
• Plaster Arrestor
• Silver Recovery Unit
• Sand Filters - Commercial swimming pools
• Settleable Solids Arrestor

Servicing your Trade Waste Device
Pump out frequencies are determined by the Class of Trade Waste, type of discharge, amount of customers/foot traffic and the size and working volume of each device.
Your responsibilities are to:

• Have your Pre-treatment device pumped when required - Note: each device is different and you should consult the manufacturer in regards to frequency
• Use a licensed liquid waste contractor
• Report pump outs and provide a Service Docket to us within 7 days - water@ckb.wa.gov.au
• Maintain good housekeeping practices

The Grease and Fat contained in wastewater can accumulate both in your drains and the City's sewer system, resulting in blockages and overflows. The potential cost to your business associated with a drain or wastewater blockage can be significant, not only in finding and clearing the blockage but also the effect it has on the normal operation of your business. You should be aware that if a wastewater blockage is attributable to your business you may be required to pay the substantial cost for removing the blockage and the associated clean up.

Laboratories do not usually discharge large volumes of liquid waste but often dispose of a range of chemicals such as acids, alkalis, dissolved salts, nutrients and organic solvents. These wastes may produce adverse localised effects in the sewer scheme, disrupt biological Wastewater treatment processes and contaminate drain systems.

Pre-treatment devices for Class II Trade Waste

• Grease Arrestor
• Dilution Pit

Servicing your Trade Waste Device

• Have your Device cleaned out regularly based off your set frequency
• Use a licensed liquid waste contractor
• Report pump outs and provide a Service Docket to us within 7 days - water@ckb.wa.gov.au
• Maintain good housekeeping practices

Pre-treatment devices for Class III Trade Waste
 
The wastewater from mechanical workshops can contain contaminants such as fuels, solvents, heavy metals, battery acids, flammable substances, caustic cleaners, coolants, paints, fillers, grit and residue. If not properly managed, these substances make their way to the Wastewater Treatment Plant which impacts on the Treatment process and effects the quality of recycled water.
 
Silt from Laundromats can interfere with the sewage system’s ability to flow without obstruction. As Silt builds up, the risk that water will not drain away increases, causing flooding on the surface, and ultimately overflowing onto the surface.

• ​Plate Oil Separator
• Triple Separator
• Vertical Gravity Separator (VGS)
• Silt Pit
• Cooling Pit

Servicing your Pre-treatment device

• Have your Device cleaned out regularly based off your set frequency
• Use a licensed liquid waste contractor
• Report pump outs and provide a Service Docket to us within 7 days - water@ckb.wa.gov.au
• Maintain good housekeeping practices

Environmental degradation can be caused by failure to service Pre-treatment equipment regularly as specified. Failure to dispose of the waste properly also carries risk to the environment as well as a financial risk to your business.

General maintenance

To assist the waste contractor, the area on and around the Grease Arrestor is to be kept clean, tidy and free of obstructions at all times. Access must be maintained at all times for both your waste contractor and our personnel.

Covers are to be regularly checked for damage or deterioration and where applicable, must be greased at least once a year to ensure a gas tight seal is maintained between the covers and the frame. The covers must sit flush with the frame.

Cleaning

Your Grease Arrestor must be serviced by a Licensed Waste Contractor. No Exceptions.
What you can expect from your service:

• Remove all covers and completely empty each section of the trap using a suction/vac hose
• Scrape the internal walls of the trap to remove all grime and grease
• Hose down internal areas of the Grease Trap (when a water supply is available) and use the suction/vac hose to remove residue
• Put fresh water back into the Grease Trap
• Securely replace all covers

It's the responsibility of the trade waste permit holder to ensure that a hose tap with backflow prevention is available adjacent to the Grease Arrestor.

 An Assessment is when a Water Services Officer visits your Kitchen and reviews the volume and type of food being cooked to get an understanding of how much grease is being made and how much is being put down the drain to determine an approximate time frame that the device will reach its 30% capacity.

Note: A single annual inspection from Water Services is covered in the Annual Trade Waste fee

You must adhere to the pump-out frequency nominated for your Grease Arrestor. If you don't have a frequency set, or if the volume or nature of your business evolves, then you must contact us to request a reassessment. (See: ‘Reassessing your Frequency’)
A Grease Arrestor requires pumping when:

• The total amount of Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) exceeds 30% of the effective depth of the Grease Arrestor
• There are gross solids or oil and grease visible in the Trade Waste sample point downstream of the Grease Arrestor

An Inspection is when a Water Services Officer visits and views the current condition of a trade waste device. A Sludge Judge Test is conducted to determine whether the device is being maintained correctly and the Frequency is being followed.

Note: A single annual inspection from Water Services is covered in the Annual Trade Waste fee
 
Annual Inspection
Every Trade Waste premises will receive a minimum of one inspection per calendar year.
This inspection is to check the following:

• The structure of the Pre-treatment device is still functional and up to standard
• That the Pre-treatment device is being serviced in line with the set frequency from the City
• That the current frequency is still accurately set for the amount of waste the business is producing
• To offer education and advice when required
• To ensure the service you are receiving from your contractor for your Pre-treatment device is meeting the correct cleaning and maintenance standards as set by the carrier company and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

 

You may request for us to undertake a Reassessment of your Grease Trap frequency due to:

• Change of Ownership
• Increase or decrease in volume of food produced
• Changes in the volume of service/customers
• Upgrades or changes to the Grease Arrestor

This will involve a series of inspections to determine the point at which the grease arrestor exceeds the 30% Fats, Oils and Grease limitation, by discharging wastewater to the City’s Sewer system.

Note: Frequency reassessments are free of charge as it is included in the annual trade waste fee. These can be requested at any point in time by a business if you believe your device has not reached capacity by the next service date.

Reasons the City may change your frequency:

• Service frequency is not being followed
• Fat/Grease blockage has occurred in the sewer line close to your business and the city needs to investigate where the source of fat and grease has come from
• Damage has been reported to the city in regards to your Pre-treatment device

If you plan to cancel your trade waste permit and/or shut down your Pre-treatment device, you need to let us know before doing so. If you are not the property owner, you will need to provide written permission from the owner to disconnect the fixture. 

A licensed plumber will have to come to remove the fixture, bridge the fixture or re-route your wastewater lines to bypass the fixture.

If a fixture, such as a Grease Arrestor or dilution pit, is shut down but left in place, it must first be cleaned and pumped out by a licensed liquid waste contractor. You then must provide the final pump out docket from the contractor to the Wastewater department by emailing a copy to water@ckb.wa.gov.au